The Best Summertime Sleeping Hacks
Much of the world is facing record-breaking heat this summer, and we understand how tough it can be to fall and stay asleep amid these hot conditions!
Did you know that the average bedroom temperature of our users in July and August is around 75°F? While this is likely still a bit cooler than the outdoor temperature, it is actually far above the recommended 60–68°F bedroom temperature range for sleep.
What’s more, SleepScore data shows that when our users sleep in a room at 65°F or lower, they sleep about 17 minutes longer than those who sleep in a room at 75°F or higher. And the warmer it gets, the more that sleep is impacted.
It’s well known that temperatures that are too warm or too cool can have a strong impact on sleep, and that bedroom temperatures peak in the summertime. When your bedroom is cool, you’ll set yourself up for a better night’s sleep. But if you can’t get your room cool due to energy costs or lack of AC, we’ve compiled some handy hacks to cool off.
If you’re one of the many feeling sweaty and uncomfortable at night, these hacks are for you!
How to Sleep Better in the Heat
Many of us don’t have the luxury of central air in our homes. But these handy tricks can help keep you cool so your Zzzs come with ease:
- Chill your sheets: Put your sheets in a plastic bag and stick them in the freezer for a few minutes in the evening. Once you put them on your bed, wait a minute or two before getting into bed. They’ll feel nice and refreshing when you place them back on your bed.
- Sleep solo: Have a sleeping partner? Try splitting up for the night so you can spread out in bed. Sleeping with your limbs extended can help reduce body heat.
- Adjust your fan: If your ceiling fan has adjustable settings, make sure you can feel the air blowing down on you. In some cases, your fan may be pulling air up instead of down, and you can adjust the direction of the blades.
- Lightweight sleepwear: Wear loose-fitting PJs, or rock your birthday suit!
- Outdoor sleep: Feeling adventurous? Get in touch with nature and sleep in a tent in your backyard. Unzip the windows and let the night air whisk you away to sleep. Just note that sleeping outside means new sounds, light levels, and a different mattress—so use your best judgment.
- DIY air conditioner: Make a DIY air conditioner: place a small fan in front of a bowl of ice or a cool window and voila: you have cool air circulating in your room!
- Cool cloth: Before you hit the lights for bed, get a cool cloth and apply it to your neck, wrists, and behind the knees. This can cool you down fast.
- Lukewarm shower: Try a lukewarm shower at night to rinse off the day and cool off the body. Make sure it’s not so cold that it jolts you awake right before bedtime though!
- Change floors: If your bedroom is on the second story, try relocating to the couch or the guest bedroom on the bottom floor. Heat rises, so it’ll be cooler when you stay low!
- Rice sock: Fill an old sock with raw rice and place it in the freezer for an hour. The compressed rice will hold the cool from the freezer for a while, so you can fall asleep while it’s still cold, without the condensation of a bag of ice. If you need an extra insulation layer, place it inside another sock at room temperature.
The Optimal Sleeping Temperature
Experts suggest between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit as the best temperature for sleep. This allows your body to stay cool and enter all the sleep stages easily. But we understand if this is tough to achieve due to high energy costs. If your neighborhood is cool enough in the evening, try opening your house up at night to let in the fresh air. Then close it up first thing in the morning! This might help keep everything cooler for a little longer.
How Can SleepScore Help
Managing sleep during long summer days and warm nights doesn’t have to be a struggle. With the free SleepScore app, you can track how light and temperature affect your sleep quality and get personalized, science-backed recommendations to improve your rest.
Whether it’s helping you adjust your bedtime routine, recommending ways to cool your sleep space, or giving you nightly sleep scores and trends, SleepScore is your summer sleep companion.
Download the free SleepScore app from the App Store and make every night—no matter how bright or hot—a restful one.
Do you have your own summertime sleep tricks? Let us know on Twitter @sleepscore!
Sources